A Miocene flora from Grand Coulee, Washington - USGS · PDF fileA MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE, WASHINGTON. By EDWARD WILBER BERRY . INTRODUCTION . The fossil plants described in

A MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE WASHINGTON

By EDWARD WILBER BERRY

INTRODUCTION

The fossil plants described in the present report were collected at the north end of Grand Coulee during the summer of 1927 by Messrs T A Bonser F A Roberts and Walter Bruee of Spokane and F W McCann of Coulee City The locality is in the big bend of the Columbia River near the northern boundary of Grant County Wash about 85 miles west of the plant-bearing Latah sediments around Spokane The outshycrop in Grand Coulee is about the same distance east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains about 100 miles northeast of the plant beds at EUensburg which are of approximately the same age and some 200 miles west of beds in Idaho yielding a similar flora and assigned to the Payette formation by Knowlton and others

The material in which the plants occur is of two not very dissimilar sorts One is a buff diatomaceous matrix which I am informed occurs as boulders in glacial till The other is a ferruginous clay found in place which might well be a more silty phase of the diatomaceous rock

The following details concerning the geography and geology of the plant-bearing deposit were furnished by Mr T A Bonser of the Spokane Public Museum

The clay deposit in which the fossil leaves occur is at the extreme north end of the coulee just at the top of the hill that leads down to the Columbia Elver It is on a level with the floor of the north end of the coulee and about 600 or 600 feet above the river The winding road from the floor of the coulee to the river is about 2 miles long but the actual distance from the deposit to the river is not more than half a mile The deposit rests upon granitic rocks just as the Latah formation does in the neighborhood of Spokane Detached clay boulders in a glacial till about half a mile down the hill along the road also contained fossil leaves

The principal exposure is about 200 yards long and 15 to 20 feet deep at the highest point but there is evidently a much greater depth below the level of the road On a ranch about a quarter of a mile northwest of the exposure and about 50 to 80 feet higher fossil leaves were found in an excavation for a cellar

To the southeast of the plant locality th4re is a basaltic rock wall standing 800 to 1000 feet above the floor of the coulee and several miles southwest is the locally famous Steamboat Rock about 800 or 1000 feet high

The plant material is not as abundant as varied or as well preserved as that of the Latah formation at Spokane Wash but it is of considerable interest in that it furnishes several species that are new to the flora of our western Miocene In addition it greatly extends the range of many of the already known species and shows that essentially similar physical conditions

prevailed over a very great area of country in Idaho Washington and Oregon during late Miocene trme

In all 55 different types of plants have been recogshynized in the material from Grand Coulee or about one-third the number described from the Latah fonration Several of these however are not distinct species but comprise such things as maple keys taxodiurr cone scales and staminate catkins oak acorns and cruules poplar bud scales and a sycamore flower head which undoubtedly appertain to the associated botanic species based on foliage

They represent 34 genera in 25 families and 10 orders Five of the genera are gymnospermsj the remainder are angiosperms All but one of the fyngiosperriis are dicotyledons and all of these except the V$bvnmm belong to the choripetalous division The moist abun dant individually are the leaves of birch dhesteut elm poplar and oak Severn different species of oakt hitve been named but it should be pointed out thaflt ttoe has probably been an overrefinement ia species due to-the personal equations of the different students who-have worked on Miocene floras to the great variability of the leaves in this and other genera such as Betula Ulmus and Acer and to the practical impossibility of drawing specific lires tiiroughout where large anounts of material are available for study

The flora thus far discovered at Grand Coulee does not add anything to the conclusions regawiiE^ erviron-mental conditions which were set forth at some length in my discussion of the Latah flora 1 Most of thegt genera represented no longer occur in this genwal reshygion Many have become entirely extinct in vestem North America since the Miocene epoch and a few such as Glyptostrobus and Paliurus are confined to the Old World in existing floras

Inasmuch as the flora discovered at Grand Coulee can be rather closely correlated as to age and as it ia but a small part of the Miocene flora of western North America as a whole an attempt to discuss the I raquoader questions of its antecedents environment extinction and bearing on the geologic history of the region does not seem worth while This has been done to some extent in connection with the Latah flor and permanent results can be reached only after the large amount of material from tfee Pacific States wMch is being studied by Chaney me and others has been fully worked up and published

gt Berry E W A revision of the flora of the Latah formation IT 3 Oft Survey Prof Paper 154 pp 233-2341929

31

32 SHOBTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 1931

AGE OF THE GRAND COULEE PLANTS

The Grand Coulee flora can be correlated with great precision Of the 55 objects enumerated in the accomshypanying table of distribution 48 occur in the Latah flora around Spokane those that have not as yet been recorded from the Latah being Glyptostrobus europaeus Hicoria washingtoniana Juglans egregia Lysichiton washingtonense Platanus flower head Ptelea miocenica Quercus mccanni and Vitis bonseri Of these the Hicoria Lysichiton Ptelea Qwrcus and Vitis are new and are likely to turn up at any moment in the Spo-iane area Moreover the Platanus flower head the fragment of a Lysichiton spadix and the Vitis seed may be classed as more or less exceptional and accidental^ both as to original preservation and as to subsequent -discovery Juglans egregia is a species of the Calishyfornia Miocene and I have seen it in collections from Idaho The Glyptostrobus has thus far unaccountably not been found in the Spokane region but it will probably turn up there eventually for it is not uncomshymon in the western Miocene and is present in the Payette formation of Idaho Consequently there -can be no doubt that the Grand Coulee flora is of the same age as the Latah flora of eastern Washington

Next to the practical identity of the Grand Coulee flora with that of the Latah the greatest resemblance is shown to floras recently collected by Kirkham in west-central Idaho and submitted to me for identificashytion The localities with lists of species have been described in a recent paper by Eorkham and Johnson2 These authors consider the Latah a series rather than a formation and extend the name to include not only their Idaho localities but the Grand Coulee locality which they had heard of through Mr McCann of Coulee City In the accompanying table of distribushytion I have listed the Idaho occurrences as from the Payette formation though I believe the plant-bearing Tseds in Idaho represent several horizons and I question the propriety of using the name Latah there If all thedisconnected basinsofsedimentation associated with the Columbia River lava are to be called by a single name which I do not believe is the proper proshycedure there are other and earlier names than Latahmdash for example Payette (1898) Ellensburg (1900) and Mascall (1901) But it is not clear that the Payette beds are more than partly equivalent to the Latah Certain plants from the Idaho section suggest a Plioshycene age and there are some elements identical with the Bridge Creek flora which do not occur in the Spokane area and which suggest that a part of the Idaho section is older than the typical Latah This

2 Kirkham V R D and Johnson M M The Latah formation in Idaho Jour -Geology voL 37 pp 483-5041929

is not the place to attempt a discussion of these Idaho floras beyond making clear the qualification required by the present state of our knowledge in comparing the Grand Coulee plants with those identified or reported from Idaho localities

Twelve of the Grand Coulee plants are recorded from the Mascall formation of Oregon and it seems probable that this number will be increased when Chaney completes his revision of this standard flora and especially when the personal equation^ of various students in connection with such genera as Acer Liguidambar Betula and Ulmus are taken into account

Seven of the Grand Coulee plants are recorded from the Eagle Creek formation and these seeti to me to indicate that the Eagle Creek is somewi H younger than it is generally held to be

Only four of the Grand Coulee plantreg s re recorded from Morissant Colo but of these the Popuampus and Liguiclambar are significant As the Gr^nd Coulee flora is practically identical with that frcm Spokane its real similarity to the Florissant flora muft be greater than it seems for the Spokane flora has a great many elements in common with that at Morissrnt and the later and unpublished collections from Spokane indishycate that this resemblance is still stronger

I consider that five of the Grand Coulee plants are represented in the flora from the St Eufjene silt of the Kootenay Valley in British Columbir described by Hollick3 I have already commented briefly on this4 and a more complete discussion is not called for in the present connection but the great aHmdanee of Cebatha heteromorpha in both floras seem to lareg to settle beyond dispute the age of thlaquo Canadftn deposit

The position to be assigned to the Gr^wd Coulee flora in the world section of the Tertiaryis tied up with the results of the study of the other scatter^ Miocene floras of the westeiii TJioltecl States In my published account of the Ijatfth flora I stated my belief that although the LaAaa Jaifghtbe as old as imdcUe Miocene it was jeaore-ppolîWy Tipper Miocene In the several years that have elapsed since the manuscrSt for that account was prepared I have studied numerous addishytional collections from tibreg Spokane area and nothing I have seen in these later collections har served to modify this statement On the other hard the evishydence for an a^per Mioeifie age h constantly becomiag more eomviadWg $poundamp1beiampg tne ease for te Spokane flora so mudfe more extensive and better than the Grand Coulee flora the same ccmcl equally for the Grand Cowlee

HoUiek Arthur Tbe flora of the St Eugene silts Kootenaj- Valley British Columbia New York Bet Qardâiettt vol 7 pp S8BHW4 pto 2SM71SS7

Berry 1 W The age otampM8t Bngene silt teth KoBtense Valtey British Columbia Boy Soc Canada see 4 Trans M atr vel 23 pp 47-481829

A MIOCENE FLOEA FROM GRAND COULEE m Flora from Grand Coulee Wash compared with Miocene floras from other Idealities

Acer merriami ___ ___ _ _ _ _ Acer fruit__ ______ __ Betula heteromorpha- _ Betula large___ _____ ___ Carpites boraginoides_ __ ___ Carpites ginkgoides_____ Cassia spokanensis __ ____ __ _ Castanea castaneaefolia___ _ Cebatha heteromorpha__ __ __

Ficus interglacialis___ __ __ ____

Hicoria washingtoniana ___ Juglans egregia_ ______ __ ___ _

Libocedrus praedecurrens_ _______ Liquidambar fruits___ _ ___

Menispermites latahensis__ _____ Nyssa hesperia____ _ _ ___ Nyssa magnifica ______ __ _ __ Paliurus hesperius_ __ _ _ _

Platanus aspera____ _ ___ __ Platanus dissecta__ ____ _ __

Populus bud scales____ __ _ Prunus rusti_____-_--___ _______

Quercus simulata________ ____

Viburnum fernquisti ______ mdash _ _ _

Latah forshy Payette forshy Eagle Miocene of St Eugenemation Mascall Bridge FlorissantEllensburg mation of Creek forshy YeBow- California silt BrftfeftSpokane formation formation Creek flora ColoIdaho mation stonePark Oanabiaand vicinity

V v v v

CD

V

X v X

X X X

v v v X

X () vv

v

X v

X v

v V v X ()

v v V v

v X X v

v

v v v() v V

-^

v v v v v

v X v

v v v v V

v v

v X v

v

34 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 1931

A systematic list of the species identified in the Grand Coulee flora is given below as it has not seemed necessary to describe any except those that are new or afford some addition to our knowledge Coniferophyta

Finales Cupressinaceae

Sequoia langsdorfii (Brongniart) Heer Taxodium dubium (Sternberg) Heer Taxodium cone scales Taxodium staminate aments Libocedrus praedecurrens Knowlton Glyptostrobus europaeus (Brongniart) Heer

Pinaceae Tsuga latahensis Berry

Spermatophyta Angiospermae

Monocotyledonae Arales

Araceae Lysichiton washingtonense Berry

Dicotyledonae Choripetalae

Juglandales Juglandaceae

Juglans egregia Lesquereux Hicoria washingtoniana Berry

Salicsles Salicaceae

Populus lesquereuxi Cockerell Populus washingtonensis Knowlton Populus lindgreni Knowlton Populus bud scales

Betulaceae Betula heteromorpha Knowlton Betula large Knowlton

Castanea castaneaefolia (Unger) Knowlton

Quercus payettensis Knowlton Quercus pseudolyrata Lesquereux Quercus merriami Knowlton Quercus cognata Knowlton Quercus mceanni Berry Quercus acorns and cupules Quercus treleasi Berry Quercus simulata Knowlton

Urticales Ulmaceae

Ulmus speciosa Newberry Moraceae

Ficus washingtonensis Knowlton Ficus interglacialis Hollick

Platanales Platanaceae

Platanus dissecta Lesquereux Platanus aspera Newberry Platanus flower head

Ranales Menispermaceae

Menispermites latahensis Berry Cebatha heteromorpha (Knowlton)

Berry Resales

Grossulariaceae Ribes fernquisti Berry

Hamamelidaceae Liquidambar fruits

SpermatophytamdashContinued AngiospermaemdashContinued

DicotyledonaemdashContinued ChoripetalaemdashContinued

RosalesmdashContinued Drupaceae

Prunus rusti Knowfton Caesalpiniaceae

Cassia spokanensis B^rry Papilionaeeae

Sophora alexanderi Knowltofl Sophora spokanensis Knowlton bull

Geraniales Rutaceae

Ptelea miocenica Bery Sapindales

Celastraceae Euonymus knowltoni Berry

Aceraceae Acer merriami Knowton Acer fruit

Rhamnales Rhamnaceae

Paliuras hesperius Bony Vitaceae

Vitis bonseri Berry Parietales

Ternstroemiaceae Gordonia hesperfa BrTy

Laurales Lauraceae

Laurus similis KnowJton Umbellularia lanoeolata Beery

Umbellales Cornaceae

Nyssa magnifica Knowlton Nyssa hesperia Berry

Gamopetalae Rubiales

Caprifoliaceae Viburnum feraquisti Berry

Position uncertain Carpites ginkg0Ms Knowlton Carpltes boraglooides Knowlton PhylUtes amplexieaulis Knowlton Phyffites couleeanus Berry

SYSTEMATIC DESCBIFnONf Phylum CON1PEEOPHYTA

Order FINALES Family CUPRESSINACEAE

Genus TAXODIUM I C Eichard

Taxodlttm dttblum (Sternberg) Helaquor

Plate 11 Figure 1

The more or less complete synonymy cf this ubiquishytous species has been repeatedly publisl^ in recent years and need not be repeated in the present conshynection

This species was discussed and a number of illusshytrations were given in Knowltons account of the Latah flora6

i Knowlton F H Flora laquot the Latah formation of Spofeano Wasb sad Coeor dAteae Idaho U S Geol 8arvlaquor Prof Paper 140 p 27 pi 9 flgs 2 7~8j pi 01 fig 2 im

A MIOCENE FLOBA PBOM GRAND COOTEE WASHBflaquo10N

The leafy twigs are sparingly represented at Grand Ooulee Associated with these are excellently preshyserved cone scales which do not differ appreciably from those of the recent species of southeastern North Amershyica One of these from Grand Coulee is figured on the accompanying plate

There also occur in the Grand Coulee deposits stami-nate aments of Taxodium exactly like those that have proved to be so common in the Spokane region

Phylum SPEBMATOPHYTA

Class AKGIOSPERMAE

Subclass MOKOCOTYLEDOKAE

Order AEAIES

Family ABACEAE

Genus LYSICHITOK Schott Lysichiton washingtonense Berry n sp

Plate 11 Figure 2

This species is based upon the impression of a tiny specimen which appears to represent parts of a crushed spadix of some aroid similar to or identical with Lysichiton It shows the impression of the surface which is seen to consist of small individuals (carpels) closely packed and polygonal in outline about 1 millishymeter in diameter highly convex distad with a proshynounced central umbilicus The type and only specishymen is shown enlarged in the accompanying illustrashytion

The genus Lysichiton the sole survivor of the Araceae in western North America has but one or two existshying herbaceous species ranging from eastern Siberia through Alaska and western Canada to California and Idaho It is unfortunate that more complete material of the fossil form is not available but it must be conshysidered to be a matter of extreme luck that even a fragshyment was preserved and discovered

Subclass DICOTYLEDOKAE

Series CHOBIPETALAE

Order JUGIAKDALES

Family JUGLAHDACEAE

Genus JtTGIANS Linnsect

Juglans egregia Lesquereux

Plate 11 Figure 3

Juglans egregia Lesquereux Harvard Coll Mus Comp Zoology Mem vol 6 p 36 pi 9 fig 12 pi 10 fig 1 1878

Knowlton in Lindgren Jour Geology vol 4 p 889 1896

This species was described by Lesquereux from the auriferous gravel of California and was based upon a considerable amount of fairly complete material showshying much variation in size and some variation in form particularly respecting the obtuseness or pointedness of the base As might be expected the broader leaves are obtuse and the narrower acute but such variations as have been observed are well within the limits of a

single botanic species as illustrated among exiting forms

Genus HICOBIA Bafineaque

Hicoria washlngtoniana Berry n sp

Plate 11 Figure 4

This species is based upon the single incoir^lete specimen figured The material scarcely warrant an attempt at a diagnosis but as it differs from tite large amount of material of this age from Washington and Idaho which I have studied it seems worthy of record The specimen is interpreted as a terminal leaflet of a large-leaved species of hickory although it is not posshysible to be sure that Hicoria and Juglans have not been confused in this case as they have been in the pslaquot by other authors The specimen indicates an ovat^ leaf about 16 centimeters in length and 6 centimeters in maximum width The midveia is stout and promishynent The secondaries are relatively widely sjiced stout diverging at angles of 45deg or slightly more regushylarly ascending and camptodrome The tertiaries are indistinct but form an open areolation The margins are beset with fairly large uniform closely spaced crenate teeth The texture is fairly coriaceous

Comparison of such incomplete material with either living or fossil species is worth little In some reflects it suggests the leaves of the Ternstroemiaceae I x ut it is larger and relatively wider than the members c f this family in the western Miocene which I have referred to the genus Qordonia

The genus Hieona has been recorded in the Fîfic region from the Miocene of Colorado California Sposhykane Wash British Columbia and Oregon It is of course present also in beds representing earlier horishyzons in this general region

Order SALICALES

Genoa POPTOUS

Populus lesquereuxi CockereU

Populus heeri Lesquereux The Cretaceous and Tertiary floras p 161 pi 30 figs 1-8 pi 81 fig 1 1 1883 [Not Sa-gtorta]

Poptdus lesquereiai Cockerell Torrey Bot Club Bull vol 33 p 307 1906 Colorado Univ Studies vol 3 p 172 1906 Am Naturalist vol 44 p 44 fig 8 1910

Knowlton U S Nat Mus Proc vol 61 p 261 1916 Salix inquirenda Knowltoh U S Geol Survey Prof Pap^r 140

p 32 pi 11 figs 1 2 1926 Berry U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 154 p 242 1929

The Latah species named Salix inquirenda by Knowlshyton is represented by very large leaves at Grand Coulee and appears to me to be identical with the common Jlorissaiit form which Lesqmerewx determined as Popushylus heeri Saporta butHeh Coekerell has shown to be different from that European species The extremely long and stout petiole which is preserved in mTeh of my material is also eonfirmatory of the refererne to Populus instead laquof to Soliz


Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne

Quercus mccanni Berry n sp

Plate 11 Figures 5-7

Leaves lanceolate to obovate with an abruptly pointed apex and a base that varies from cuneate to truncately rounded and in many specimens is inequishylateral Most of the specimens are preserved as impressions but in the two or three that show someshything of the leaf substance the texture appears to have been subcoriaceous though less so than in the associated species of oaks Margin entire for a very short distance above the base elsewhere with regular spaced and sized teeth These increase regularly in size upward to the widest part of the leaf and then decrease toward the apex They are usually oblique and rounded and are separated by rounded sinuses the counterpart of the teeth in form In one or two of the more elongated and narrower leaves the teeth are more ascending and pointed and these leaves are very similar to those of Quercus horniana Lesquereux of the Mascall formation of Oregon but the Grand Coulee leaves are connected by insensible gradations with the round-toothed forms with which they are associated and undoubtedly represent a single botanic species Petiole stout expanding proximad 12 to 2 centimeters in length Midvein stout prominent on the underside of the leaf becoming thin distad Secondaries medium stout regularly spaced and sub-parallel their angle of divergence from the midvein depends on the width of the leaf varying from 40deg to 60deg they are prevailingly straight curving slightly distad and ending craspedodromely in the tips of the marginal teeth The tertiary venation is quercoid not prominent and seen with difficulty Length 65 to 10 centimeters maximum width above the middle 275 to 5 centimeters

This characteristic species which is named for JPW McCann president of the Coulee City Commercial Club is obviously distinct from previously described forms although it exhibits a certain resemblance to Quercus horniana Lesquereux6 of the Mascall formashytion Quercus spokanensis Knowlton7 of the Latah formation and Quercus clarnensis Trelease8 of the Clarno formation This resemblance is greatest beshytween these species which are narrower forms with more pointed and more ascending teeth and the more elonshygate and narrow specimens of Quercus mccanni

In all its features Quercus mccanni is exceedingly like the leaves of the chestnut oaks of southeastern North

laquo Lesquereux Leo U S Nat Mus Proc vol 11 p 17 pi 6 flg 6 1888 i Knowlton F H U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 140 p 37 pi 19 flg 31926 Trelease William Brooklyn Bot Garden Mem vol 1 p 4991918

America and this agreement is so close tl ^t it would seem to indicate a close relationship and tlje former presence in the late Miocene of the West of a type of oak which subsequently became restricted to the East A second alternative m indicated by the resemblance of these leaves to those of the existing pound wrem mar- tensiana Trelease of the eastern Sierra Maire Qwrampus prinopsis Trelease of the Mexican tableland and Quercus chartacea Trelease of the CordiTwan region of Mexico bull

Quercus simnlata Kuowlton

Quercus simulata Knowlton U S Geol Survey Eighteenth Ann Kept pt 3 p 728 pi 101 figs 3 4- pi 102 figs 1 2 1898 U S Geol Survey Prof Pap^r 140 p 38 pi 22 figs 3 4 1926 ]

Chaney Walker Mus Contr vol 2 No 5 p 168 pi 12 fig i 1920

Berry U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 154 p 24sect pi SI figs 6 7 9-11 1929

Scdix elongata Knowlton [not O Weber] U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 140 p 32 pi 12 fig 4 1926

Quercus chaneyi Knowlton idem p 38 pi 22 fig 1 1926 Quercus praenigra Knowlton idem p 37 pi 19 fig 6 1926

This species was described by Knowlton from the Payette formation of Idaho and was identified by the same author from the Latah formation and by Chaney from the Eagle Creek formation I hrve recently detected it in the Esmeralda formation of Nevada

It is exceedingly common and variable in both the Payette and Latah formations At Granc Coulee it is probably the most abundant species and here again it shows its characteristic great variability both in form and in size It ranges from narrowly to broadly lanceolate with entire or sparingly toothed margins either acuminate or bluntly tipped and with the base ranging from rounded to narrowly cuneate Formerly I suggested comparisons with the existing ($wrem hypoleuea EngebaaBJt 13 the West or Qmrms pheUos Linne ot the East

I have subsequently had occasion to compare this and oar otiaejr western Miocene oafes with the existing species df Meaaeo au4 Central America witfo t3to result titiftt I find a great siiiHlarity between Qmrampm simulata and amp gfwift 0f Mlaquolaquokilaquofr^^regcies mutampj of them shrubs or small trees largely described in recent years by Trelease These ampre QjampeFcm vampapulcengw Trelease Quercus lt$secteww Trelease $mrm$ transmampntana Treshylease (^mrmraquo mmiAm Release and Qmm$ hypoleuea Engelmanii the last akeady mentioned in the precedshying paragraph All of these are forms of the western Sierra Miulre la addition tymrcm mampeâmpnreg Hum-boldt and Bonplaiid is also similar to the fossil form This is ft sjjcutesiqf^fcp-Milaquoieaai table4aiid and adjashycent Cordillera This Teampemblance between several of the oaks of the western Miocene and existing species of Mexico seems M to 1 wore tibtan fortuitous and I believe that it is of real significance

A MIOCENE FLOBA PBOM GRAND COULEE

Quercus treleasii Berry

Qwercus trdeasii Berry U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 154 p 247 pi 52 figs 1-3 1929

This species is abundant in the Latah formation and also in the recent collections from beds assigned to the Payette formation of Idaho It is represented at Grand Coulee by a single specimen Like some of the associated oaks Quercus treleasii shows similarities to several existing Mexican species These are Quercus repanda Humboldt and Bonpland a shrub of the Mexican table-land Quercus chihuahuensis Trelease and its varieties of the western Sierra Madre and

bull Quercus lecomteana Trelease and Quercus ofaoides Chamisso and Schlechtendal the first a shrub and the second a small tree both found in the eastern Sierra Madre

Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne

Ficus interglacialis Hollick

Ficus interglacialis Hollick New York Bot Garden Jour vol 16 p 44 pis 152 153 1915 New York Bot Garden Mem vol 7 p 405 pis 34 35 1927

Equisetum underground stem Knowlton U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 140 p 24 pi 9 fig 1 pi 26 fig 5 pi 29 fig 8 1926

I am satisfied that the objects described from the Latah formation by Knowlton as underground tuber- bearing stems of Equisetum are the same as those described by Hollick from the St Eugene silt of British Columbia as the fruits of a Ficus They are present in the later collections from Spokane and vicinity and occur in the collections from Grand Coulee

It is perhaps not possible to decide conclusively in favor of Hollicks identification and a priori one would be more apt to expect Equisetum in the latitude and supposed environment than Ficus especially as the abundant associated leaves referred to Ficus washing-tonensis are not beyond suspicion At the same time the axes have more the appearance of aerial stems than of rhizomes and the supposed tubers many of which are found detached are conspicuously longitudinally ridged entirely unlike any Equisetum tubers that I have seen and I have seen a great many both recent and fossil On the other hand they are similar to the fruits of a number of small hard spherical-fruited recent species of Ficus

The specific name interglacialis was given because its author supposed that he was dealing with remains from an interglacial deposit but for this there is no geologic or paleobotanic evidence

Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne

Plateaus flower Plate 12 figure 1

Little that is definite can be said of this which appears to represent a flower of Platltmmt of two species of which are found in association T$4amp it It shows a more or less flattened central bas^ from which radiate masses of more or less discrete objects that are interpreted as flowers What appears to be the peduncle is preserved for a length of nearly 5 centimeters but of course the association may represhy sent nothing more than superposition of the supposed flower head and a pine needle or leaf petiole

Order RAHALES

Family MENISPEEMACEAE

Genus CEBATHA Forskal

Cebatha heteromorpha (Knowlton) Populus heteromorpha Knowlton U S Geol Survey Prof Paper

140 p 30 pi 12 figs 8-10 pi 13 figs 1-7 pi 14 figs 1-3 pi 15 figs 3-5 1926

Populus fairii Knowlton idem pi 15 fig 2 pi 16 figs 1-3 Cebatha multiformis Hollick New York Bot Garden Mem vol

7 p 406 pi 38 figs 1-6 pi 39 figs 1-3 1927 Cissampelos dubiosa Hollick idem p 408 pi 37 filts 4 5

(6 77) pi 39 fig 4

This exceedingly variable species is the most abunshydant form in the Latah collections and is also found in the westward extension of this horizon in Grant County Wash and in the Payette of Idaho It occurs in all sizes and shapes and shows a corresponding-range of variation in its marginal characters These have been sufficiently illustrated in the large suite of specimens figured by Knowlton and Hollick As Knowlton suspected the forms called fairii are not distinct from the type but every gradation if represhysented and leaves with three four or five primaries are not distinctive Every locality in the recent collections that contains oncopy contains the other Hollick in describing the flora from the St Eugene silts of British Columbia recognized the botanic affinity of these leaves but refrained from including Knowltons supposed Popuhis of the Latah formation with the British Columbia material because he thought there was a great difference in age between the two outcrops It has since been shown that the Lamptah is younger than Knowlton supposed it to be r^d the evidence is fairly strong that the St Eugene rJts are much older than Hollick thought


The older paleobotanists referred to Populus a great many fossil leaves which show no relationship to that genus Knowlton in his account of Populus hetero-morpha recognized that it was unlike any existing Populus but convinced himself that it was a Populus because it resembled Populus ardica Heer of the early Tertiary a species which I have shown is also not a Populus

Genus MENISPEBMITES Lesquereux

Menispermites latahensis Berry

Rate 12 Figures 4-6

Menispermites latahensis Berry U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 154 p 249 pi 52 fig 4 1929

Leaves relatively small about as long as their maxishymum width trilobate with a wide central lobe and a pair of basal lateral lobes Sinuses rounded extending inward about halfway to the midvein Margin with shallow irregularly spaced dentate teeth most promishynent toward tip of central lobe and on the proximal side of the lateral lobes Apex rounded Tips of lateral lobes rounded asymmetric Base perfoliate Texture thin Length about 48 to 6 centimeters maximum width across lateral lobes 525 to 8 centishymeters Petiole stout presumably long though preshyserved for only 125 centimeters Primaries stout diverging from the base at angles of about 45deg to 50deg the laterals curving outward to the tips of the lateral lobes Secondaries numerous ascending indifferently camptodrome or craspedodrome according as the margin at their extremities is entire or toothed Areolation large polygonal

This species was apparently not uncommon at Grand Coulee in late Miocene time and the three specimens collected are about 50 per cent larger than the type material from Spokane with which they agree perfectly in form and venation They are not unlike some of the modern forms that American botanists refer to the genus Cebatha Forskal which the Euroshypeans generally include in the large genus Coeculus De Candolle They are also similar to some of the forms referred to Menispermum Linnamp which as now restricted includes an existing species in eastern North America and another in eastern Asia In view of the uncertainty of the generic affinity I prefer to refer the fossil to the form genus Menispermites proshyposed by Lesquereux to fit just such cases

Leaves of this family are common in the Upper Cretaceous of western North America but are exshytremely rare in the Tertiary of that region The present species is not only a link with the past but also a link between eastern Asia and eastern North Amershyica where its descendants still survive

Order EOSALES

Family GROSSULAKIACEAE

Genus RISES Iinn6

Ribes fernqaisti Berry

Plate 12 Figure 2

Ribes femquisti Berry U S Geol Survey Prof Paper 154 p 251 pi 63 fig 21 1929

This species was described as follows

Leaves relatively small trilobate Margin except at base and in the sinuses with coarse den ate teeth Texture sub-coriaceous Length about 5 centimeters as is also the maxishymum width Apical lobe about as broad as it is long bluntly pointed at apex Base of the leaf truncate Sinuses narrow and not deep Primaries three from the top o the petiole stout and prominent Secondaries si out prominent diverging from the primaries at acute angles There are three or four subopposite to alternate secondaries i Q the central lobe curved proximad and more straight distad and craspedodrome In the lateral lobes the basal secondary on the outside diverges close to the base and is relatively strai ghter and more prominent than its fellows and might be termed i subpranary There is a second secondary on the outside belcw the basal secondary oa the inside and the latter is much cu -ved ascendng inside the sinus margin and ending camptodrort ely if the margin is entire and craspedodromely if it has aseende i to a point where there ia a tooth on the margin The primaries partieuarly the lateral ones are slightly flexuous with resplaquo ct to the alternate divershygence of the secondaries The tertiary branches from the distal parts of the secondaries are wel] marked and the ultimate ones are usually craspedodrome Inlernal tertiaries are transshyverse and percurrent or inosculating ii i the middle region The areolation is an open mesh that agnes precisely with that ia leaves of existing members of the gem is

The single specimen detected in the collections from Grand Coulee is still samaller thato the type material measuring 25 centimeters in length and 26 centishymeters in maximum width Otherwise it is identical with the material from Spokane

Ribes has not oftett been recognized in the fossil state Two species have however been recorded from Mor-issant CraquoIamp but both oi these are unlike the Latah form There are over 60 existing species of Ribes all shrubby and widely distributed in the Forth Temshyperate Zone and in the Andes of South America Fully 50 species are knowa from North America

Family EAHAMELtDACEAE

Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit

Liquidambar firttft Kwwrite W-S CkraquoL Sourer Prof Paper 140 p 4 pL 40 fig Ift ISm

Knowlton describedltbullamp igured a rather well preshyserved fruit from the IAIamp formation at S lokane and suggested its problaquoWlaquo pdatiQnsMp to the associated

A MIOCENE FLORA FBOM GRAND COULEE

leaves which he identified as Llguidambar pocky-phyUum Knowlton but which I regard as simply a variant of the common Miocene Liquidambar cali fornicum Lesquereux Subsequently additional fruits have been collected from the Latah formation I have no doubt that these fruits belong to this species

The material from Grand Coulee is especially inshyteresting as there are no traces of leaves in the colshylection and over a dozen of the fruits In several specimens more or less of the peduncle is preserved This is unusually stout and in one small specimen in which it appears to be complete it is only 4 centishymeters in length The presence of fruits and no leaves may be explained as due to water transportashy tion of the material for the fruits are dry when shed and readily float and the leaves decay in water more rapidly than leaves of most other genera

Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne

Ptelea miocenica Berry n sp

Plate 12 Figure 7

Samara broadly winged subcircular in outline emarginate at both the apex and base Peduncle slender incomplete preserved for a length of about 6 millimeters Seed cavity fusiform widest above the middle and more tapering proximad than distad It has the appearance of being 2-celled Length about 1 centimeter maximum width about 6 millishymeters The whole including wing about 175 centimeters long and 24 centimeters in maximum width The wing is thin but of firm consistency and is faintly radiately reticulate veined

This characteristic fruit is very close to that of the existing Ptelea trifoliata Linne and is the first represhysentative of this genus found fossil on the Pacific slope The genus makes its appearance in the lower Eocene of the Mississippi embayment and is sparingly represented in the geologic record A Miocene species based upon the trifoliate leaves has been recorded from Morissant Colo9 and it is quite possible that the present fruit represents the same botanic species as the leaves found at Florissant The genus is not uncommon in the Miocene of Europe

Ptelea has four or five existing species of shrubs or small trees confined to the United States and Mexico ranging northward to southern Ontario and westward to Colorado and New Mexico

raquoCoekerell T D A Am Mus Nat Hist Boll vol 24 p 981908

62508degmdash32mdashmdash3

Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne

Acer merriaim Knowlton

Plate 13 Figure 13

Acer mamprriami Knowltoa U S Geol Survey Bull 204 p 74 pi 14 fig 7 1902 U S Geol Survey Prof Patter 140 p 45 pi 28 fig 1 1926

The maples from the western Miocene are ia _a state of confusion too many species have scribed and specific names have also usually i given to the detached fruits The present are referred to Acer merriami because they are Deshycidedly 3-lobed and have but three primaries al 4 Hough I do not regard either of these features as good speshycific characters The specimen figured di$fer from the type in the narrower lateral lobes in conscnuenccopy of which the base is cuneate instead of cordate a very simple variation and of no specific value In this last feature it resembles the leaf from the Lfttlaquoh forshymation which Knowlton referred to this specie

Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE

Genus PAIIURTJS Jussieu

PaMurus hesperius Berry


Paliurus feespemts Berry Am Jour Set 5th serv vtf 16 p 40 figs 1-3 1928 TJ S Geol Survey Prof- Paner 154 p 257 pi 57 fig 1 I92raquo

It was my original intention to describe tttfe leaves and fruits of this Palinrus as separate species The fruits were discovered and described in 1928 after the manuscript for my revision of the Latah flor^ (Proshyfessional Paper 154-H) had been prepared aac1 in the proof of that paper (published in 1929) the aam^ given to the fruit was used for the leaves without any de-scription of the fraite a citation to the earner deshyscription being inserted As leaves and fruits are associated at Spokane and at Grand Coulee nearly 100 miles west of Spokaae it is a reasonab1 conshyclusion that both belong to the same botanic species Under the circumstances the collective species should be redescribed

Leaves of medium size broadly qvate wides below the middle the apex pointed but not extended bade broadly rounded or slightly cordate Textoe coriaceous Margins with closely spaced


small crenate teeth Length about 7 centimeters maximum width about 45 centimeters Petiole not preserved Midvein stout prominent Lateral prishymaries diverge from the base at acute angles these are as stout as the midvein and curve upward and barely escape being aerodrome by uniting with short secondshyaries from the distal part of the midvein The lateral primaries give off on the outside several camptodrome secondaries The areolation is a fine mesh indistinctly preserved

These leaves are not uncommon in the Latah formashytion at Spokane they occur sparingly at Grand Coulee and also in the Payette formation of Nez Perce County Idaho about 85 miles east of south of Spokane

The fruits are discoidal peltate pedunculate the essential part depressed turbinate the margin exshytended horizontally as a broad scarious veined wing

FIGURE 3mdashRestoration of Paliurus ktsperius

The wing margin is irregularly sinuate The veins are radial in direction are slightly undulate and may be simple or once or twice forked

As preserved the whole fruit departs slightly from circular in outline being about 12 by 16 centimeters in diameter The type comprises two specimens that are counterparts split in the plane of the wing which is well preserved The fruit substance is gone in the central part of both specimens and was probably lost when the specimen was split open as one counterpart shows the cast of the apical umbo above the wing and the other shows a cast of the proximal part below the wing These are slightly deformed by pressure during fossilization but preserve the details in a remarkable way and have served for the reconstructed median longitudinal section shown in the accompanying Figshy

ure 3 Figure 1 on Plate 13 shows the fruit viewed from below pressed down over the pedurdegle which iamp seen projecting below the wing margin In the center is the cast of the rounded apex with a prominent conshyical tip from which impressions of the veins radiate The impression is darkened around the rnargin of the umbo where the substance is preserved at the inner margin of the wing

The counterpart is similar except in the center where the deep cast of the conical part of the fruit below the wing somewhat offset is preserved This shows clearly the collar around the upper expanded end of the peduncle and the scar where its distal end was attached to the base of the fruit The material is almost as good as a recent Paliurus fruit and is much better for having the resistant substance of the fruit proper gone because both surfaces can be studied one of which would have inevitably been concealed had it not dropped out when the clay was split The foreshygoing description is based upon the tyTgte specimen Subsequently several somewhat smaller spîmens have been collected from the same locality as well as from the Latah formation in the brickyard exposure at Spokane A restoration of the species is attempted in the accompanying text figure

The fossil agrees with the fruits of the recent species of Paliurus in every feature except that it is slightly smaller in this respect being closest to the extising Paliurus aculeatus Lamarck although the existing forms show considerable variation in the size of their fruits and I have not enough material to be sure of the limits of variation in either the existing or the fossil forms The fruits of PregMimt$ mvtmtus which I have seen are more robust with a larger ersential part which is much more massive proximad be1 w the wing thicker wings less visible venation and shorter peduncle The fossil is ffllaquogtre lake the fruits of Paliurus orientals Francacopy $afc I nave seen in relative proshyportions in the thinner wing with greate^ visibility of the veins and in the relative length of the peduncle No leaves are associated with the fossil but at approxishymately the same horijsem both at Grand Coulee and in the Latah formation at Spokane there are leaves of a PaKwm whist we meafcopyr to PaMurm orwntaMreg than they are to tibe casting species It is very probshyable that leaves raquopd fraifc represent the s^me Miocene species but this copyan aampt yet be demonstrated

The genus Paliurus of Jussieu contains two or three existing species of shrubs or small trees with cordate or ovate palmately 3-vîned usually small leaves with stipular thorns Ebe fruits are coriaceous pelshytate umbonate witti a horizontal marginal radiately veined wing In exbtinf floras they are restricted to dry-soil habitats from Spwn onthe west to Japan on the east Paliurus aamptêQfm Lamarck extends from Spain through southern Europe Asia Minor Crimea the Caucasus md Peaaa to China (Szeehwan) Paliurus mmmimmw Poiret extends frcm about 27deg

A MIOCEtfE FLOBA FROM GBAND COULEE

north latitude in Kiangsi to Japan and Paliurus orientals Franchet sometimes united with the preshyceding reaches the stature of a thin tree sometimes 50 feet tall in eastern Szechwan and Shensi China Whatever the taxonomic distinction of the three the ranges overlap and the geologic record is sufficiently complete to show that their present range is a reshystricted one and that they represent relict species

Turning now to the geologic record we may note that a considerable number of fossil species have been described based for the most part on leaves and thereshyfore subject to the uncertainties attending the identishyfication of remains of this class The oldest records embrace 13 species so called of leaves from the Upper Cretaceous These include four from the Dakota sandstone of Kansas one from the Patoot beds of Greenland two from the Mill Creek beds of western Canada one from Vancouver Island one from the Eutaw formation of Georgia three from the Magothy formation of New Jersey and contemporaneous beds on Staten and Long Islands and one from the so-called Laramie of Yellowstone Park Many of these are very similar to the leaves of the existing species but lack the corroboration of associated fruits or structural remains

The Eocene has furnished at least 10 nominal species including occurrences in western Greenland Svalbard (Spitzbergen) Siberia and Alaska on the north and in British Columbia Montana Colorado and Wyoshyming in the western part of North America I have described three species from the Wilcox group (lower Eocene) of the Mississippi embayment and one of these is represented by characteristic fruits10 Seward u has described a large fruit from the supposed Eocene of southeastern Nigeria which has the appearance of a Paliurus but which is not certainly such

The Oligocene contains at least three speciesmdashone from Louisiana represented by very characteristic leaves and thorny stems and two from southeastern France represented by both leaves and fruit

At least 13 nominal species have been recorded from the Miocene These include identifications based upon leaves from Alsace Switzerland Bohemia Italy France Silesia and two from Florissant Colo the last not conclusive in themselves but highly probable in view of the occurrence of typical fruits at the same Miocene horizon in the State of Washington Miocene species based upon fruits include occurrences in Bohemia and Styria12 Switzerland 13 and southern Russia The last which comes from the Sarmatian stage is scarcely if at all distinguishable from the existing Paliurus aculeatus 1 The Pliocene record conshy

10 Berry E W U 8 Qeol Survey Prof Paper 91 p 279 pi 71 fig 4 text fig 14 1916

laquo Seward A C Nigeria Qeol Survey Bull 6 p 75 pi 1 fig 51924 Ettingshausen O von Die fossil Flora des TertiSr-Beckens von Bilin pt 3

p 39 pi 50 figs 6 7 1869 is Heer Oswald Flora tertiaria Helvetia vol 3 p 76 pi 122 figs 27-391859 raquolaquo Kjryshtofovich A Aead imp sd St-Petersbourg Bull 9 p 592 pi l fig l

sists of a typical fruit from central France (Cantal) which is also indistaBguiskable from the existing Paliurus aculeatustrade

In vfiew of what we know of the plant histor^ of the Tertiary it is surely of interest that the Miocene species from Washington should be most simitar to the restricted species of south-central China (P 0rmteliamp) as are also the leaves associated with the friit and that there should be earlier (late Eocene) species in the intervening region in Alaska and Siberia

Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS

Vitis bonseri Berry n sp

Plate 13 Figure 6

A very characteristic seed Somewhat compressed broadly obovate in profile stoutly obtusely pointed at the base broadly rounded above Hilum large and circular midway between the apex and tt3 base raphe narrow Testa thin Length 425 millimeters maximum width 35 millimeters The single specishy men is split medially and the type consistr of the original and counterpart which show the opposite sides of the seed viewed from within

In size and form the fossil is indistinguishable from the seeds of a number of existing species of Vitis so that comparisons are without significance

The occurrence of these characteristic seeds is of considerable interest because no leaves of this genus are associated with them in fact except for very doubtful leaf material from the Latah formation at Spokane and equally doubtful material from Contra Costa County Calif the only Miocene occurrences of Vitis recorded from western North America are two species from Florissant Colo The genus is considshyered by Knowlton to be present in the late Upper Cretaceous of New Mexico and Wyomjng and several species have been recorded from the early Tertiary of the western United States British Columlna and Alaska None have been recognized In eastern North America in beds earlier than the Pliocene Ctrohelle formation of Alabama

Crder PARIETALES

Family TERWSTROEMIACEAE

Genus GORDONIA

Gordonia hesperia Berry

Hate 13 Figures 7 8

Gordonia heamppampna Berry Am Jour Sci vol 18 p 430 figs 1 2 1929

Although the specimens of this species from Grand Coulee are relati ely shorter and wider tl ltMI the specimens figurec from the Latah formation at

Langeron Maurice Soc hist nat Autun BaH vol 15 p 86 pi P text fig 1 1902


Spokane the abundance of material from the Spokane locality shows that they fall within the limits of varishyation of the species

It is an interesting fact already discussed in the paper above cited that our northwestern Miocene contains two species of Gordonia based upon leaves and two based upon seeds and that the latter are more similar to existing Asiatic species than to the existing species of southeastern North America

Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE

Genus NYSSA Linne Nyssa hesperia Berry n sp


Stones of medium size prolate spheroidal or slightly compressed in form widest medially and about equally rounded at both ends with about 10 prominent wide rounded ribs separated by narrow deep sulci About 15 centimeters or slightly less in length and about 75 millimeters in diameter All the specimens collected are preserved as casts in the clays and they show various degrees of flattening The type comes from the brickyard exposure of the Latah formation but they are also not uncommon in the Miocene deposits of Idaho usually referred to the Payette formation They are very much smaller more rounded at the ends and with fewer ribs than Nyssa magnifica (Knowlton) Berry 16 of the Latah formation They are associated with the leaves described as Nyssa knowUoni Berry 17 both in the Latah and in the Payette

The stones of Nyssa are very abundant in the earlier Tertiary of North America a great variety having been described from the Eocene lignites of

Berry E W TJ S Geol Survey Prof Paper 164 p 2611929 raquoIdem p 261 pi 59 fig 7

Brandon Vt but for some reason they are much rarer in the later Tertiary where we know only this and one other species from the Latah and its equivashylents and a third species from the Miocene Calvert formation of Virginia Only two American Miocene species based upon leaves are knownmdashthe oncopy menshytioned above and a second from the Eagle Creek formation and the Bridge Creek shales c Chaney in Oregon

Species of Nyssa based upon the stones alone are always of doubtful specific distinctness and I might mention a great many so-called species of stones from other and very different horizons both in this country and abroad which resemble the present species but such comparisons lack any real value

POSITION UNCEBTAIN

Phyllites couleeanns Berry n sp

Plate 13 Figure 12

This single specimen seems to me so obviously to represent an abnormal leaf that I have not ventured to attempt a determination It is elliptical in general outline about 65 centimeters long and 4 centishymeters in maximum width Apex rounded truncate Base cuneate Margins entire for their lower two-thirds above with a few subequal prominent teeth Midvein stout and prominent Secondaries nine or ten pairs medium stout the basal diverge at wide angles approaching 90deg and become progressively more ascending upward the angle of divergence in the tip being about 45deg The lower four or five secondaries are camptodrome the remainder are craspedodrome ending in the teeth The tertiaries are irîstinct

My belief is that this leaf is an abnormal leaf of some oak quite likely the common foam at this outshycrop which I have described as Qwercm w

TJ S GEOLOGICAL STTRVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 170 PLATE 11

MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE WASH 1 Cone scale of Taxodium dubium (Stemberg) Heer 4 Hicoria washingtoniana Berry n sp terminal leaflet 2 Lysichiton washingtonense Berry n sp fragment of a spadix 5-7 Leaves of Quercus mccanni Berry n sp3 Juglans egregia Lesquereux terminal leaflet

TJ S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 170 PLATE 12

MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE WASH 1 Flower head of Platanus 4-6 Menispermites latahensis Berry2 Ribes fernquisti Berry 7 Ptelea mtocenica Berry n sp3 Quercus cognatus Knowlton fragment with leaf spot fungi


MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE WASH 1-5 Paliurus hesperius Berry 1 2 Opposite views of the type 9-11 Nyssa hesperia Berry n sp 9 10 from Grand Coulee

3 side view restored 4 5 photographs of smaller specimens 11 from Spokane6 Vtiis bonseri Berry n sp seed inside view 12 Phyllites couleeana Berry n sp7 8 Oordonia hesperia Berry 13 Acer merriami Knowlton

11

32 SHOBTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY 1931

AGE OF THE GRAND COULEE PLANTS

The Grand Coulee flora can be correlated with great precision Of the 55 objects enumerated in the accomshypanying table of distribution 48 occur in the Latah flora around Spokane those that have not as yet been recorded from the Latah being Glyptostrobus europaeus Hicoria washingtoniana Juglans egregia Lysichiton washingtonense Platanus flower head Ptelea miocenica Quercus mccanni and Vitis bonseri Of these the Hicoria Lysichiton Ptelea Qwrcus and Vitis are new and are likely to turn up at any moment in the Spo-iane area Moreover the Platanus flower head the fragment of a Lysichiton spadix and the Vitis seed may be classed as more or less exceptional and accidental^ both as to original preservation and as to subsequent -discovery Juglans egregia is a species of the Calishyfornia Miocene and I have seen it in collections from Idaho The Glyptostrobus has thus far unaccountably not been found in the Spokane region but it will probably turn up there eventually for it is not uncomshymon in the western Miocene and is present in the Payette formation of Idaho Consequently there -can be no doubt that the Grand Coulee flora is of the same age as the Latah flora of eastern Washington

Next to the practical identity of the Grand Coulee flora with that of the Latah the greatest resemblance is shown to floras recently collected by Kirkham in west-central Idaho and submitted to me for identificashytion The localities with lists of species have been described in a recent paper by Eorkham and Johnson2 These authors consider the Latah a series rather than a formation and extend the name to include not only their Idaho localities but the Grand Coulee locality which they had heard of through Mr McCann of Coulee City In the accompanying table of distribushytion I have listed the Idaho occurrences as from the Payette formation though I believe the plant-bearing Tseds in Idaho represent several horizons and I question the propriety of using the name Latah there If all thedisconnected basinsofsedimentation associated with the Columbia River lava are to be called by a single name which I do not believe is the proper proshycedure there are other and earlier names than Latahmdash for example Payette (1898) Ellensburg (1900) and Mascall (1901) But it is not clear that the Payette beds are more than partly equivalent to the Latah Certain plants from the Idaho section suggest a Plioshycene age and there are some elements identical with the Bridge Creek flora which do not occur in the Spokane area and which suggest that a part of the Idaho section is older than the typical Latah This

2 Kirkham V R D and Johnson M M The Latah formation in Idaho Jour -Geology voL 37 pp 483-5041929

is not the place to attempt a discussion of these Idaho floras beyond making clear the qualification required by the present state of our knowledge in comparing the Grand Coulee plants with those identified or reported from Idaho localities

Twelve of the Grand Coulee plants are recorded from the Mascall formation of Oregon and it seems probable that this number will be increased when Chaney completes his revision of this standard flora and especially when the personal equation^ of various students in connection with such genera as Acer Liguidambar Betula and Ulmus are taken into account

Seven of the Grand Coulee plants are recorded from the Eagle Creek formation and these seeti to me to indicate that the Eagle Creek is somewi H younger than it is generally held to be

Only four of the Grand Coulee plantreg s re recorded from Morissant Colo but of these the Popuampus and Liguiclambar are significant As the Gr^nd Coulee flora is practically identical with that frcm Spokane its real similarity to the Florissant flora muft be greater than it seems for the Spokane flora has a great many elements in common with that at Morissrnt and the later and unpublished collections from Spokane indishycate that this resemblance is still stronger

I consider that five of the Grand Coulee plants are represented in the flora from the St Eufjene silt of the Kootenay Valley in British Columbir described by Hollick3 I have already commented briefly on this4 and a more complete discussion is not called for in the present connection but the great aHmdanee of Cebatha heteromorpha in both floras seem to lareg to settle beyond dispute the age of thlaquo Canadftn deposit

The position to be assigned to the Gr^wd Coulee flora in the world section of the Tertiaryis tied up with the results of the study of the other scatter^ Miocene floras of the westeiii TJioltecl States In my published account of the Ijatfth flora I stated my belief that although the LaAaa Jaifghtbe as old as imdcUe Miocene it was jeaore-ppolîWy Tipper Miocene In the several years that have elapsed since the manuscrSt for that account was prepared I have studied numerous addishytional collections from tibreg Spokane area and nothing I have seen in these later collections har served to modify this statement On the other hard the evishydence for an a^per Mioeifie age h constantly becomiag more eomviadWg $poundamp1beiampg tne ease for te Spokane flora so mudfe more extensive and better than the Grand Coulee flora the same ccmcl equally for the Grand Cowlee

HoUiek Arthur Tbe flora of the St Eugene silts Kootenaj- Valley British Columbia New York Bet Qardâiettt vol 7 pp S8BHW4 pto 2SM71SS7

Berry 1 W The age otampM8t Bngene silt teth KoBtense Valtey British Columbia Boy Soc Canada see 4 Trans M atr vel 23 pp 47-481829












V v v v

CD

V

X v X

X X X

v v v X

X () vv

v

X v

X v

v V v X ()

v v V v

v X X v

v

v v v() v V

-^

v v v v v

v X v

v v v v V

v v

v X v

v

















Urticales Ulmaceae







Berry Resales









Geraniales Rutaceae








Laurales Lauraceae











Plate 11 Figure 1








Class AKGIOSPERMAE


Order AEAIES

Family ABACEAE


Plate 11 Figure 2




Series CHOBIPETALAE

Order JUGIAKDALES

Family JUGLAHDACEAE



Plate 11 Figure 3







Plate 11 Figure 4




Order SALICALES

Genoa POPTOUS








Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne






















Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11












V v v v

CD

V

X v X

X X X

v v v X

X () vv

v

X v

X v

v V v X ()

v v V v

v X X v

v

v v v() v V

-^

v v v v v

v X v

v v v v V

v v

v X v

v

















Urticales Ulmaceae







Berry Resales









Geraniales Rutaceae








Laurales Lauraceae











Plate 11 Figure 1








Class AKGIOSPERMAE


Order AEAIES

Family ABACEAE


Plate 11 Figure 2




Series CHOBIPETALAE

Order JUGIAKDALES

Family JUGLAHDACEAE



Plate 11 Figure 3







Plate 11 Figure 4




Order SALICALES

Genoa POPTOUS








Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne






















Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11

















Urticales Ulmaceae







Berry Resales









Geraniales Rutaceae








Laurales Lauraceae











Plate 11 Figure 1








Class AKGIOSPERMAE


Order AEAIES

Family ABACEAE


Plate 11 Figure 2




Series CHOBIPETALAE

Order JUGIAKDALES

Family JUGLAHDACEAE



Plate 11 Figure 3







Plate 11 Figure 4




Order SALICALES

Genoa POPTOUS








Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne






















Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11





Class AKGIOSPERMAE


Order AEAIES

Family ABACEAE


Plate 11 Figure 2




Series CHOBIPETALAE

Order JUGIAKDALES

Family JUGLAHDACEAE



Plate 11 Figure 3







Plate 11 Figure 4




Order SALICALES

Genoa POPTOUS








Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne






















Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11


Order FAGALES

Family FAGACEA1

Genus QUERCUS Linne






















Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11






Order URTICAIES

Family MOEACEAE

Genus FICUS Linne







Order FLATANALES

Family PLATANACEAE

PLATANUS Linne



Order RAHALES







(6 77) pi 39 fig 4






Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11





Rate 12 Figures 4-6





Order EOSALES


Genus RISES Iinn6


Plate 12 Figure 2







Gemus IIQTJIBAMBAR

Liquldambar fruit






Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11




Order GERANIALES

Family EUTACEAE

Genus PTEIEA linne


Plate 12 Figure 7






Order SAPINDALES

Family ACERACEAE

Genus ACM Linne


Plate 13 Figure 13



Oftor EHAMUALES

Family RHAMNACEAE





























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11























Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11












Family VITACEAE

Genus VITIS LinnS


Plate 13 Figure 6




Crder PARIETALES


Genus GORDONIA


Hate 13 Figures 7 8







Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11




Order UMBEHALES

Family CORNACEAE








POSITION UNCEBTAIN


Plate 13 Figure 12










11








11






11




11

Documents

A Miocene flora from Grand Coulee, Washington - USGS · PDF fileA MIOCENE FLORA FROM GRAND COULEE, WASHINGTON. By EDWARD WILBER BERRY . INTRODUCTION . The fossil plants described in